A safety kit for girls' night out

A GROUP of budding entrepreneurs have created a `survival kit for girls' to allow women to feel safer on Manchester's streets. The group has been backed by Greater Manchester Police, who gave them a grant of é3,250 to develop the product.

A GROUP of budding entrepreneurs have created a `survival kit for girls' to allow women to feel safer on Manchester's streets.

The pack, which includes a personal safety alarm and a device to stop drinks being spiked, has been created by Year 12 pupils at Withington Girls' School, in Fallowfield.

The pupils have set up their own company, Siren, as part of the Young Enterprise Scheme.

The group has been backed by Greater Manchester Police, who gave them a grant of é3,250 to develop the product.

Lauren Anderson, 17, sales director for Siren, said: "In the past, Withington's Young Enterprise projects have tended to be more girly things, with things like customising flip flops and even bra straps.

"But this time we've come up with the idea of a personal safety pack which also includes a keyring torch and information on public transport. It's caused a lot of interest."

Advice

Lauren, of Cheadle Hulme, contacted local MP John Leech. He put her in contact with Stephen Hobson, GMP's Crime Reduction Advisor for South Manchester who advised the girls what to include in the final kit.